For each and every electrical component, the manufacturer specifies a nominal operating temperature range and, in particular, a maximum operating temperature Tmax. If the temperature of the component exceeds this temperature Tmax, then the component may be damaged or its performance degraded. It is therefore important to try to keep the temperature of the electrical component below this temperature Tmax.
To do this, it has already been proposed to cool the electrical component using various devices such as a radiator, a coolant, etc.
Recently it has been suggested that it would be possible to use an electrocaloric material to pump heat from a hot spot to a cold spot. However, this implies the use of thermal switches if unidirectional heat flow is to be guaranteed. This is, for example, disclosed in the following article A1: S. Kar-Narayan and N. D. Mathur, “Predicted cooling powers for multilayer capacitors based on various electrocaloric and electrode materials”, Applied Physics Letters 95, 242903 (2009).
Prior art is also found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,950, “Simulation of a solid state cooler with electrocaloric elements”, Physics of the solid state, American Institute of Physics, Woodbury, N.Y., US, Vol. 51, Aug. 30, 2009, pages 1574-1577, U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,325 B1, and US Patent Publication 2011/146308 A1.